The Fatal Flaw in Missouri Synod Polity, Structure and Governance

There are plenty of things broken and bent out of shape in the current polity, structure and governance of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and even more things are wrong with the proposals being offered by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synodical Structure and Governance.

However, the number one fatal flaw in LCMS structure and governance, in my opinion, is the inordinate power that the floor committees have over synodical conventions; especially because those floor committees are ultimately hand-picked by the President of the Synod. That critique is not aimed at the current administration, but at the polity itself on principle.

The floor committees control what comes to the Convention for consideration and action; they control the order and priority of that business, and the manner in which it is presented; and they have the significant ability to speak at length to resolutions, to defend and promote them, above and beyond what any of the other delegates are permitted or able to say or do in response.

Personally, I think the power and authority of the floor committees should be curtailed, for one thing, and the process by which overtures from across the Synod are presented as resolutions to the Convention should be handled more objectively and far more equitably than it has been in recent years. Along with those reforms in our synodical polity, I would suggest that the floor committees, instead of being chosen by the President of the Synod, should be elected by the Districts of the Synod, in much the same sort of way that the nominating committee already is.

Without some such changes in the formation and function of the floor committees, I have little confidence that even improvements in the structure and governance will accomplish any good; although, frankly, it doesn't appear that improvements of any sort are presently in the works.

Hymns for Proper 14-20 Series B

First Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 14 (Sunday on August 7–13)
1 Kings 19:1–8
Ephesians 4:17—5:2
John 6:35–51
　
Hymn of Invocation
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
　
Offertory Hymn
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
O little flock, fear not the foe (LSB 666)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
　
Hymn of Departure
Father, we thank Thee who hast planted (LSB 652)
　
Alternative Hymns
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (LSB 821)
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side (LSB 752)
Crown Him with many crowns (LSB 525)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
Feed Thy children, God most holy (LSB 774)
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)
Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer (LSB 918)
Hail, Thou once despised Jesus (LSB 531)
I lie, O Lord, within Your care (LSB 885)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Let us ever walk with Jesus (LSB 685)
Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared (LSB 622)
Lord Jesus, think on me (LSB 610)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
The Head that once was crowned with thorns (LSB 532)
These are the holy Ten Commands (LSB 581)
Thine the amen, Thine the praise (LSB 680)
Where charity and love prevail (LSB 845)
　
　
Second Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 15 (Sunday on August 14–20)
Proverbs 9:1–10 (or Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18)
Ephesians 5:6–21
John 6:51–69
　
Hymn of Invocation
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
　
Offertory Hymn
Let all mortal flesh keep silence (LSB 621)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
The infant priest was holy born (LSB 624)
Sing with all the saints in glory (LSB 671)
　
Hymn of Departure
O living Bread from heaven (LSB 642)
　
Alternative Hymns
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father, we praise Thee (LSB 875)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Jesus, priceless treasure (LSB 743)
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten (LSB 914)
New songs of celebration render (LSB 792)
Now thank we all our God (LSB 895)
O blessed, holy Trinity (LSB 876)
O God of God, O Light of Light (LSB 810)
One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure (LSB 536)
Only-begotten, Word of God eternal (LSB 916)
Rise, shine, you people (LSB 825)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
Take my life and let it be (LSB 783)
The Lord, my God, be praised (LSB 794)
Thee we adore, O hidden Savior (LSB 640)
Thee will I love, my strength, my tower (LSB 694)
You are the way; through You alone (LSB 526)
　
　
Third Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 16 (Sunday on August 21–27)
Isaiah 29:11–19
Ephesians 5:22–33
Mark 7:1–13
　
Hymn of Invocation
These are the holy Ten Commands (LSB 581)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Lord, help us ever to retain (LSB 865)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken (LSB 439)
All Christians who have been baptized (LSB 596)
Oh, blest the house whate’er befall (LSB 862)
　
Hymn of Departure
May God bestow on us His grace (LSB 823)
　
Alternative Hymns
Built on the Rock the Church shall stand (LSB 645)
Creator of the stars of night (LSB 351)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
God’s Word is our great heritage (LSB 582)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness (LSB 563)
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (LSB 585)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
My hope is built on nothing less (LSB 575)
O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)
O Morning Star, how fair and bright (LSB 395)
Once in the blest baptismal waters (LSB 598)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens (LSB 589)
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
The clouds of judgment gather (LSB 513)
The gifts Christ freely gives (LSB 602)
The Gospel shows the Father’s grace (LSB 580)
The Law of God is good and wise (LSB 579)
　
　
Fourth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 17 (Sunday on August 28—September 3)
Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
Ephesians 6:10–20
Mark 7:14–23
　
Hymn of Invocation
Come, Thou almighty King (LSB 905)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless (LSB 566)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Triune God, be Thou our stay (LSB 505)
Hail, Thou once despised Jesus (LSB 531)
A mighty fortress is our God (LSB 656)
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart (LSB 708)
　
Hymn of Departure
Lord, dismiss us with Your blessing (LSB 924)
　
Alternative Hymns
Be strong in the Lord (LSB 665)
Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken (LSB 521)
Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (LSB 769)
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
God’s Word is our great heritage (LSB 582)
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
I know my faith is founded (LSB 587)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Lord, help us ever to retain (LSB 865)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
Lord, open now my heart to hear (LSB 908)
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
O Jesus, King most wonderful (LSB 554)
O little flock, fear not the foe (LSB 666)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
On my heart imprint Your image (LSB 422)
Rise! To arms! With prayer employ you (LSB 668)
The Son of God goes forth to war (LSB 661)
Thy works, not mine, O Christ (LSB 565)
　
　
Fifth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 18 (Sunday on September 4–10)
Isaiah 35:4–7a
James 2:1–10, 14–18
Mark 7:(24–30) 31–37
　
Hymn of Invocation
Word of God, come down on earth (LSB 545)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him (LSB 797)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Hear us, Father, when we pray (LSB 773)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness (LSB 578)
　
Hymn of Departure
Now thank we all our God (LSB 895)
　
Alternative Hymns
At the name of Jesus (LSB 512)
Come, my soul, with ev’ry care (LSB 779)
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing (LSB 686)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (LSB 769)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
I trust, O Lord, Your holy name (LSB 734)
Just as I am, without one plea (LSB 570)
Lord, open now my heart to hear (LSB 908)
My song is love unknown (LSB 430)
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
O Son of God, in Galilee (LSB 841)
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing (LSB 528)
Oh, that I had a thousand voices (LSB 811)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
Son of God, eternal Savior (LSB 842)
To God the Holy Spirit let us pray (LSB 768)
When to our world the Savior came (LSB 551)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)
　
　
Sixth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 19 (Sunday on September 11–17)
Isaiah 50:4–10
James 3:1–12
Mark 9:14–29
　
Hymn of Invocation / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
　
Hymn of the Day
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
Rise, shine, you people (LSB 825)
Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal (LSB 533)
　
Hymn of Departure
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
　
Alternative Hymns
Chief of sinners though I be (LSB 611)
Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken (LSB 521)
"Come, follow Me," the Savior spake (LSB 688)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
I will sing my Maker’s praises (LSB 977e; TLH 25; LW 439)
Jesus, grant that balm and healing (LSB 421)
Jesus sinners doth receive (LSB 609)
My soul, now praise your maker (LSB 820)
Now that the daylight fills the sky (LSB 870)
O Jesus, King most wonderful (LSB 554)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit (LSB 681)
Sing praise to God, the highest good (LSB 819)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
Word of God, come down on earth (LSB 545)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)
　
　
Seventh Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 20 (Sunday on September 18–24)
Jeremiah 11:18–20
James 3:13—4:10
Mark 9:30–37
　
Hymn of Invocation
One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure (LSB 536)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
All praise to Thee, for Thou, O King divine (LSB 815)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Now, my tongue, the myst’ry telling (LSB 630)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
Lord of glory, You have bought us (LSB 851)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
　
Hymn of Departure
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
　
Alternative Hymns
A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth (LSB 438)
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing (LSB 633)
Children of the heav’nly Father (LSB 725)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
Draw near and take the body of the Lord (LSB 637)
Father, we thank Thee who hast planted (LSB 652)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
I walk in danger all the way (LSB 716)
If thou but trust in God to guide thee (LSB 750)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle (LSB 454)
Son of God, eternal Savior (LSB 842)
The Son of God goes forth to war (LSB 661)
The tree of life with ev’ry good (LSB 561)
What is the world to me (LSB 730)
Where charity and love prevail (LSB 845)

Hymns for Proper 8-13 Series B

First Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 8 (Sunday on June 26—July 2)
Lamentations 3:22–33
2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 13–15
Mark 5:21–43
　
Hymn of Invocation
If Your beloved Son, O God (LSB 568)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
In the very midst of life (LSB 755)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
If thou but trust in God to guide thee (LSB 750)
Just as I am, without one plea (LSB 570)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
Let us ever walk with Jesus (LSB 685)
　
Hymn of Departure
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
　
Alternative Hymns
God loved the world so that He gave (LSB 571)
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father (LSB 809)
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (LSB 524)
I know that my Redeemer lives (LSB 461)
I will sing my Maker’s praises (LSB 977e; TLH 25; LW 439)
In Thee is gladness (LSB 818)
Jesus, priceless treasure (LSB 743)
Jesus, Thy boundless love to me (LSB 683)
Let us all with gladsome voice (LSB 390)
Lord of all hopefulness (LSB 738)
My soul, now praise your maker (LSB 820)
O Christ, who shared our mortal life (LSB 552)
O God of mercy, God of might (LSB 852)
O Jesus so sweet, O Jesus so mild (LSB 546)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Take my life and let it be (LSB 783)
Thanks to Thee, O Christ, victorious (LSB 548)
What God ordains is always good (LSB 760)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)
　
　
Second Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 9 (Sunday on July 3–9)
Ezekiel 2:1–5
2 Corinthians 12:1–10
Mark 6:1–13
　
Hymn of Invocation
Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord (LSB 497)
　
Hymn of the Day
O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
All glory be to God alone (LSB 948) (Catechetical)
Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal (LSB 533)
God of the prophets, bless the prophets’ sons (LSB 682)
O God, O Lord of heaven and earth (LSB 834)
　
Hymn of Departure
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
　
Alternative Hymns
All depends on our possessing (LSB 732)
Christ is made the sure foundation (LSB 909)
"Come, follow Me," the Savior spake (LSB 688)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
God has spoken by His prophets (LSB 583)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord (LSB 728)
I walk in danger all the way (LSB 716)
In God, my faithful God (LSB 745)
In the cross of Christ I glory (LSB 427)
Jesus, lead Thou on (LSB 718)
May God bestow on us His grace (LSB 823)
My song is love unknown (LSB 430)
O God of light, Your Word, a lamp unfailing (LSB 836)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Only-begotten, Word of God eternal (LSB 916)
The will of God is always best (LSB 758)
What God ordains is always good (LSB 760)
What is the world to me (LSB 730)
　
　
Third Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 10 (Sunday on July 10–16)
Amos 7:7–15
Ephesians 1:3–14
Mark 6:14–29
　
Hymn of Invocation
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (LSB 585)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Jesus, priceless treasure (LSB 743)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
I walk in danger all the way (LSB 716)
All Christians who have been baptized (LSB 596)
May God bestow on us His grace (LSB 823)
　
Hymn of Departure
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart (LSB 708)
　
Alternative Hymns
Christ is the world’s Redeemer (LSB 539)
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing (LSB 686)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
God of the prophets, bless the prophets’ sons (LSB 682)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
In the very midst of life (LSB 755)
Jesus Christ, my sure defense (LSB 741)
O Holy Spirit, enter in (LSB 913)
O Holy Spirit, grant us grace (LSB 693)
Oh, what their joy and their glory must be (LSB 675)
Once in the blest baptismal waters (LSB 598)
Saints, see the cloud of witnesses (LSB 667)
Since our great High Priest, Christ Jesus (LSB 529)
Sing praise to God, the highest good (LSB 819)
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
The clouds of judgment gather (LSB 513)
The Gospel shows the Father’s grace (LSB 580)
The Son of God goes forth to war (LSB 661)
When aimless violence takes those we love (LSB 764)
When all the world was cursed (LSB 346)
　
　
Fourth Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 11 (Sunday on July 17–23)
Jeremiah 23:1–6
Ephesians 2:11–22
Mark 6:30–44
　
Hymn of Invocation
Jesus, Thy boundless love to me (LSB 683)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
　
Offertory Hymn
Feed Thy children, God most holy (LSB 774)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness (LSB 578)
Built on the Rock the Church shall stand (LSB 645)
A multitude comes from the east and the west (LSB 510)
　
Hymn of Departure
Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him (LSB 797)
　
Alternative Hymns
All depends on our possessing (LSB 732)
Children of the heav’nly Father (LSB 725)
Christ be my leader by night as by day (LSB 861)
Christ is made the sure foundation (LSB 909)
Christ is our cornerstone (LSB 912)
Christ, the Word of God incarnate (LSB 540)
Church of God, elect and glorious (LSB 646)
Hear us, Father, when we pray (LSB 773)
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
Lord Jesus Christ, the Church’s head (LSB 647)
O little flock, fear not the foe (LSB 666)
O living Bread from heaven (LSB 642)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure (LSB 536)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit (LSB 681)
Shepherd of tender youth (LSB 864)
The gifts Christ freely gives (LSB 602)
The King of love my shepherd is (LSB 709)
Word of God, come down on earth (LSB 545)
　
　
Fifth Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 12 (Sunday on July 24–30)
Genesis 9:8–17
Ephesians 3:14–21
Mark 6:45–56
　
Hymn of Invocation
Our Father, who from heav’n above (LSB 766)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
From depths of woe I cry to Thee (LSB 607)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
　
Hymn of Departure
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
　
Alternative Hymns
All praise to Thee, for Thou, O King divine (LSB 815)
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side (LSB 752)
Christ, the Word of God incarnate (LSB 540)
Eternal Father, strong to save (LSB 717)
Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (LSB 769)
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father (LSB 809)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord (LSB 728)
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
I know my faith is founded (LSB 587)
Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal (LSB 533)
Jesus, Savior, pilot me (LSB 715)
Now thank we all our God (LSB 895)
O God, our help in ages past (LSB 733)
O love, how deep, how broad, how high (LSB 544)
Our Father, by whose name (LSB 863)
Rise, my soul, to watch and pray (LSB 663)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
Sing praise to God, the highest good (LSB 819)
　
　
Sixth Sunday in Apostles’ Tide
Proper 13 (Sunday on July 31—August 6)
Exodus 16:2–15
Ephesians 4:1–16
John 6:22–35
　
Hymn of Invocation
To God the Holy Spirit let us pray (LSB 768)
　
Hymn of the Day
Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer (LSB 918)
　
Offertory Hymn
Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord (LSB 497)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Thee we adore, O hidden Savior (LSB 640) (Catechetical)
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing (LSB 633)
O living Bread from heaven (LSB 642)
　
Hymn of Departure
A mighty fortress is our God (LSB 656)
　
Alternative Hymns
Alleluia! Let praises ring (LSB 822)
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (LSB 821)
Christ sits at God’s right hand (LSB 564)
Come down, O Love divine (LSB 501)
Father, we thank Thee who hast planted (LSB 652)
Feed Thy children, God most holy (LSB 774)
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (LSB 524)
Jesus, priceless treasure (LSB 743)
Jesus, Thy boundless love to me (LSB 683)
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared (LSB 622)
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart (LSB 708)
O Jesus, King most wonderful (LSB 554)
Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing (LSB 737)
Since our great High Priest, Christ Jesus (LSB 529)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
The gifts Christ freely gives (LSB 602)
The tree of life with ev’ry good (LSB 561)

The Goal of Evangelism

The goal of evangelism is the worship of the Holy Trinity.

Not the other way around.

Patience

I'm not a patient person. If "patience is a virtue," it is one of many that elude me. I have trouble being patient with myself. I struggle having patience with others, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed. And I am frankly not patient with God; which is a manifestation of my sin, of my covetous idolatry, and of a futile reliance on my own self-righteousness. I easily become anxious and worried. I am far too quickly frustrated with efforts that seem to produce no results. I grow weary and tired of trying. I get upset, or, more often, I get discouraged and depressed. My sinful inclination is to push harder and faster, or to give up.

It hit me the other day, though, that the Lord meets my gross impatience with His own perfect patience. When it seems as though nothing is happening, as though nothing were getting accomplished or getting better, it is not because the Lord is slow or forgetful or angry, nor even because of my sinfulness and failure, but because He is patient with us; with all of us, but also with me. He bears with me in my failure to bear with Him. And He helps me in my weakness, by persisting in His love and mercy toward me. He does not delight in my sin, because He does not want it to destroy me; therefore, He does not destroy me for my sin, but rather works His work in me to bring me to repentance.

I have been thinking recently about how to provide pastoral care for those who struggle with besetting sins. I was encouraged, then, by the realization that God the Lord is patient with those who so struggle with persistent temptations and recurring sins. It is far too easy for such a person to give up the struggle, to despair of the ongoing fight, and to quit altogether. The strength and comfort to continue the uphill battle, which may in fact be a lifelong contest, comes not from some hope that sufficient effort will finally achieve a permanent victory over temptation and sin, but from the fact that the Lord does not grow weary of preaching His Word, of calling the sinner back to Himself, of loving the weak and heavy-laden, and of forgiving. He is steadfast and faithful in continuing to do all of these things, for a thousand years as for a day.

And then I realized that my impatience is my own besetting sin. And how ironic that suddenly seemed to me. My lack of patience is a sorry temptation to give up before I have even started to resist; it is a failure to persevere, already from the first moment the race has begun. To recognize that propensity and weakness in myself is discouraging and frustrating, and such a reaction is to be immediately at the heart of the problem. I am not steadfast and faithful; I am not long-suffering and slow to anger. I am short-tempered, lazy and selfish; weary and wobbly.

But for all of that, the Lord is patient with me. Patient in a way that exceeds all that I could ever imagine. Patient beyond even the most patient of my family and friends, who do bear with me in love. Patient, He is, and persistent in loving me in spite of myself. He perseveres in His grace, mercy and peace toward me. Because He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and full of kindness. He does not hold my sin against me, no matter how quickly and often I become impatient and either lose my temper or give up hope. Not only does He call me to repentance and forgive my sin, in His loving desire to grant me His own life and salvation, His own patience, persistence and perseverance are established for me as my own in Christ.

He is the Rock that shall not be moved. Even while I am wearing myself out pushing against that Rock, He remains solid and certain, not as an obstacle to my life, but as the firm foundation of my faith, hope and love, unto the life everlasting. When He grants me the Peace of His Spirit through the forgiveness of my sins, including my sin of impatience, then I am able to rejoice in that patience of His, which also becomes mine by His grace. Yet, even when such patience and peace are elusive to me, in my frailty and fear, He remains patient with me, and He shall never leave me nor forsake me. For this I am truly grateful.

More Extraordinary Insight from Ordinary Boy

"I'm not trying to put anyone down," I insisted. "I'm just trying to get answers. Isn't the whole point of school to seek out knowledge?"

"Not particularly," our teacher Miss Marble responded gloomily. "I'm afraid the point of school isn't so much about learning things as it is learning not to say things that irritate other people."

"But how else do we gain knowledge?" I asked. "Shouldn't we always be asking questions and trying to use what we discover to make life better?"

"You're free to do all that" — Miss Marble nodded — "as long as you don't upset anyone in the process or challenge any of their beliefs."

"In a democracy, the majority decides what's right," a classmate interjected. "Isn't that so, Miss Marble?"

"Sadly, you appear to be correct." She sighed as the final shred of her good mood evaporated.

"But what if they're wrong?" I added meekly, already feeling beaten.

"So let's settle this the democratic way by casting votes," another student proposed. "Whoever thinks that Ordinary Boy is wrong, raise your hand!"

I didn't even need to look to know that every hand had shot up.
(Ordinary Boy: The Great Powers Outage, 131-32, alt.)

Luther on the flesh and the Spirit

It is worth reading Dr. Luther at some length on this perennial struggle:

"With the words, ‘walk by the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:16), Paul shows how he wants his earlier statements to be understood: ‘Through love be servants of one another’ (Gal. 5:13), and ‘Love is the fulfilling of the Law’ (Rom. 13:10). It is as though he were saying: ‘When I command you to love one another, I am requiring of you that you walk by the Spirit. For I know that you will not fulfill the Law. Because sin clings to you as long as you live, it is impossible for you to fulfill the Law. But meanwhile take careful heed that you walk by the Spirit, that is, that by the Spirit you battle against the flesh and follow your spiritual desires.’ Thus he has not forgotten the matter of justification. For when he commands them to walk by the Spirit, he clearly denies that works justify. It is as though he were saying: ‘When I speak about the fulfilling of the Law, I do not intend to say that we are justified by the Law. But what I am saying is that there are two contrary guides in you, the Spirit and the flesh. God has stirred up a conflict and fight in your body. For the Spirit struggles against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit. All I am requiring of you now — and, for that matter, all that you are able to produce — is that you follow the guidance of the Spirit and resist the guidance of the flesh. Obey the former, and fight against the latter! Therefore when I teach the Law and urge you on to mutual love, do not suppose that I have retracted the doctrine of faith and am now attributing justification to the Law or to love. What I mean to say is that you should walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh.’
　
"Therefore Paul uses his words with precision and care, as though he were saying: ‘We have not yet attained the fulfillment of the Law. Consequently, we must walk and be exercised by the Spirit, so that we think, say, and do what is of the Spirit and resist what is of the flesh.’ This is why he adds: ‘And do not gratify the desires of the flesh.’ It is as though he were saying: ‘The desires of the flesh are not yet dead, but they always sprout up to talk back and fight back against the Spirit.’ No saint has a flesh so holy that when it is offended it would not rather bite and devour or at least subtract something from the commandment of love. Even at the first impact he cannot restrain himself from irritation with his neighbor, a desire for revenge, and hatred for him as though he were an enemy — or at least less love than he should have according to this commandment. This happens even to saints.
　
"Therefore the Apostle has established this as a rule for the saints: that they should be servants of one another through love, that they should bear one another’s weaknesses and burdens (Gal. 6:2), and that they should forgive one another’s trespasses (Matt. 6:12–15). Without such clemency and gentleness it is impossible for peace and concord to exist among Christians. It is unavoidable that you are offended frequently and that you offend in turn. You see much in me that offends you; and I, in turn, see much in you that I do not like. If one does not yield to the other through love on matters like this, there will be no end to the argument, discord, rivalry, and hostility. Therefore Paul wants us to walk by the Spirit, so that we do not gratify the desires of the flesh. It is as though he were saying: ‘Even though you are aroused to anger or envy against an offending brother or against someone who does something unkind to you, still resist and repress these feelings through the Spirit. Bear with his weakness, and love him, in accordance with the command: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." For your brother does not stop being your neighbor simply because he lapses or because he offends you, but that is the very time when he needs your love for him the most.’
　
"The sophists interpret ‘the desires of the flesh’ as sexual desire. It is indeed true that every godly person, especially one who has not yet attained maturity or who lives a celibate life, is subject to sexual desire. So corrupt and unsound is our flesh that not even married people are free of sexual desire. Whoever examines his feelings carefully will discover that he likes the form or the manner of some other woman more than he does his own. One grows tired of one’s lawful wife and loves a woman who is forbidden to him. In everything it happens this way: What a man has, he despises; what he does not have, he loves. ‘Of things most forbidden we always are fain: And things most denied we seek to obtain.’ Thus I do not deny that the desires of the flesh include sexual desire. Yet it includes not only sexual desire but also all the other evil emotions with which godly people are burdened, though some more violently than others, such as pride, hatred, greed, impatience, etc. In fact, a little later Paul enumerates among the works of the flesh not only these coarse vices but also idolatry, party spirit, and the like (Gal. 5:20), which are emotions that have a better reputation. Thus it is clear that he is speaking about the whole desire of the flesh and the entire realm of sin, which struggles against the realm of the Spirit in the godly, who have received the first fruits of the Spirit (Rom. 8:23). And so he is speaking not only about sexual desire or pride but also about unbelief, distrust, despair, hatred, contempt for god, idolatry, heresy, etc.
　
"It is as though Paul were saying: ‘I am writing that you should love one another. You do not do this, nor can you do it; for you have the flesh, corrupted as it is by evil desire, which not only arouses sin in you but is itself a sin. Otherwise, if you had perfect love, no sorrow or misfortune would be great enough to disturb it; for it would be spread throughout your body. No wife would be too ugly for her husband to love her intensely and to lose all interest in other women, even the most beautiful ones. This does not actually happen.
　
"‘Therefore it is impossible for you to be justified by love. Do not think, therefore, that I am retracting my doctrine about faith. Faith and hope must remain, so that we may be justified by the former and encouraged by the latter to persevere in adversity. Finally, we are servants of one another through love, because faith is not idle even though love is tiny and weak. Thus when I command you to walk by the Spirit, I make it abundantly clear that you are not justified by love. Moreover, when I say that you should walk by the Spirit and should not obey the flesh or gratify the desires of the flesh, I am not requiring of you that you strip off the flesh completely or kill it, but that you restrain it. God wants the world to endure until the Last Day. This cannot happen unless men are born and reared; and this, in turn, requires that the flesh continue, and consequently also that sin continue, since the flesh cannot be without sin. And so if we look at the flesh, we are sinners; if we look at the Spirit, we are righteous. We are partly sinners and partly righteous. Yet our righteousness is more abundant than our sin, because the holiness and the righteousness of Christ, our Propitiator, vastly surpasses the sin of the entire world. Consequently, the forgiveness of sins, which we have through Him, is so great, so abundant, and so infinite that it easily swallows up every sin, provided that we persevere in faith and hope toward Him.’
　
"Paul is writing this Epistle not only to hermits and monks, who lead a celibate life, but to all Christians . . . to the church catholic and to all the faithful. They are the ones whom Paul exhorts to walk by the Spirit in order not to gratify the desires of the flesh, that is, to restrain not only the coarse drives of the flesh, such as sexual desire, anger, impatience, but also the ‘spiritual’ ones, such as doubt, blasphemy, idolatry, contempt and hatred of God, etc. He does not demand of the faithful that they completely destroy and kill their flesh, but that they control it in such a way that it will be subject to the Spirit. In Romans 13:14 he commands us to make provision for the flesh. For just as we should not be cruel to other people’s bodies or trouble them with unjust requirements, so we should not do this to our own bodies either. According to Paul’s command, therefore, we should make provisions for our flesh, to enable it to bear the requirements of both the mind and the body; yet he wants us to make provision for it to meet its needs, not ‘to gratify its desires.’
　
"Thus if your flesh becomes lascivious, repress it by the Spirit. If it persists, get married! ‘It is better to marry than to be aflame with passion’ (1 Cor. 7:9). When you do this, you walk by the Spirit; that is, you follow the Word and will of God. As I have said, this commandment about walking by the Spirit pertains not only to hermits and monks but to all the faithful, even if they are not aflame with passion. Thus a prince walks by the Spirit when he does his duty diligently, rules his subjects well, punishes the guilty, and defends the innocent. His flesh and the devil oppose him when he does this, and they urge him to start an unjust war or to yield to his own greedy desires. Unless he follows the Spirit as his guide and obeys the Word of God when it gives him correct and faithful warning about his duty, he will gratify the desires of the flesh.
　
"‘For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would’ (Gal. 5:17). Here Paul impresses upon us that we are to be conscious of the desires of the flesh — not only of sexual desire, that is, but of pride, anger, sadness, im-patience, unbelief, etc. But he wants us to be conscious of them in such a way that we do not give in to them or gratify them, that is, that we do not say and do what our flesh impels us to do. Thus when it impels us to anger, we should ‘be angry’ in such a way that we ‘sin not’ (Psalm 4:4). It is as though Paul wanted to say: ‘I know that your flesh impels you to anger, envy, doubt, unbelief, and the like. But resist it by the Spirit, so that you do not sin. But if you forsake the guidance of the Spirit and follow the flesh, you will gratify the desires of the flesh, and you will die’ (Rom. 8:13). Thus this statement is to be understood as applying not only to sexual desire but to the whole realm of sin.
　
"This passage shows clearly that Paul is writing this to the saints, that is, to the church which believes in Christ, which is baptized, justified, and regenerated, and which has the forgiveness of sins. Yet he also says that it has a flesh which battles against the Spirit. He speaks about himself the same way elsewhere: ‘I am carnal, sold under sin’ (Rom. 7:14); again: ‘I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind’ (Rom. 7:23); and again: ‘Wretched man that I am!’ (Rom. 7:24). Here not only the sophists but even some of the fathers exert themselves anxiously to make excuses for Paul; for they regard it as unworthy of a ‘chosen instrument’ of Christ (Acts 9:15) to say that he was sinful. We for our part give credence to Paul’s words when he candidly confesses that he is sold under sin, is a captive of sin, has a law at war with himself, and serves the law of sin with his flesh.
　
"Here they reply that the Apostle is saying these things in the name of the wicked. But the wicked do not complain about their rebellion, conflict, and captivity to sin; for sin has powerful dominion over them. Therefore these complaints really belong to Paul and to all the saints. Thus it is not only unwise but even wicked when they make the excuse that Paul and other saints have no sin. For with this notion, which is derived from their ignorance of the doctrine of faith, they have deprived the church of great comfort, have done away with the forgiveness of sins, and have made Christ useless.
　
"Hence Paul is not denying that he has flesh and the faults of the flesh when he says: ‘I see in my members another law.’ And so it is not incredible that at one time or another he experienced sexual desire. Yet it is my opinion that it was successfully checked by the many great trials of mind and body with which, as his epistles show, he was continually being disciplined and troubled. Or if in a light and vigorous mood he became conscious of sexual desire, anger, or impatience, he resisted them by the Spirit and did not permit these feelings to control him. Therefore let us by no means permit such silly glosses to rob us of these extremely comforting passages, in which Paul describes the conflict going on between the flesh and the Spirit in his own body. The sophists and the monks have never experienced spiritual trial. The only battle they have ever carried on has been to repress and overcome sexual desire. This victory made them so proud — although in fact they never managed to control their desire — that they regarded themselves as far better and saintlier than married people. I am not even speaking about the horrible sins of every kind which they nurtured and strengthened by this false appearance: party spirit, pride, hatred, contempt for their neighbor, trust in their own righteousness, presumption, neglect of godliness and of the Word, unbelief, blasphemy, and the like. Against these sins they did not battle; in fact, they did not even think of them as sins. They supposed that righteousness lay only in the observance of their foolish and wicked vows, and that unrighteousness lay in the neglect of those.
　
"But we declare it as a certainty that Christ is our principal, complete, and perfect righteousness. If there is nothing on which we can depend, still, as Paul says, ‘these three abide: faith, hope, love’ (1 Cor. 13:13). Thus we must always believe and love, and we must always take hold of Christ as the Head and the Source of our righteousness. ‘He who believes in Him will not be put to shame’ (Rom. 9:33). In addition, we should take pains to be righteous outwardly as well, that is, not to yield to our flesh, which is always suggesting something evil, but to resist it through the Spirit. We must not be broken up with impatience at the ingratitude and contempt of the rabble, who abuse Christian freedom; but by the Spirit we must overcome these and all other trials. To the extent that by the Spirit we struggle against the flesh, to that extent we are outwardly righteous, even though it is not this righteousness that makes us acceptable in the sight of God.
　
"Therefore let no one despair when he feels his flesh begin another battle against the Spirit, or if he does not succeed immediately in forcing his flesh to be subject to the Spirit. I, too, wish that I had a firmer and more steadfast spirit, one that could not only despise the threats of tyrants, the heresies planted by the fanatical spirits, and other offenses and tumults which they stir up, but could quickly shake off the fears and sorrows of the mind and could even get rid of its fears of the sharpness of death to receive it as a most welcome guest instead. ‘But I see in the members of my body another law at war with the law of my mind’ (Rom. 7:23). Other men struggle with lesser trials, such as poverty, dishonor, impatience, and the like.
　
"No one should be surprised or frightened when he feels this conflict of the flesh against the Spirit in his body, but he should fortify himself with these words of Paul: ‘The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit,’ and ‘These are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would’ (Gal. 5:17). With these statements he is comforting those who are undergoing trials, as though he were saying: ‘It is impossible for you to follow the Spirit as your guide through everything without some awareness of hindrance by the flesh. Your flesh will be an obstacle, the sort of obstacle that will prevent you from doing what you would. Here it is sufficient if you resist the flesh and do not gratify its desires, that is, if you follow the Spirit rather than the flesh, which is easily disturbed by impatience, which seeks revenge, grumbles, hates, bites back, etc.’ When someone becomes aware of this battle of the flesh, he should not lose heart on this account; but by the Spirit he should fight back and say: ‘I am a sinner, and I am aware of my sin; for I have not yet put off my flesh, to which sin will cling as long as it lives. But I will obey the Spirit rather than the flesh. That is, by faith and hope I will take hold of Christ. I will fortify myself with His Word, and thereby I will refuse to gratify the desires of the flesh.’
　
"It is very useful to the faithful to know this doctrine of Paul well and to meditate on it, because it gives wonderful comfort to them in their trial. When I was a monk, I used to think that my salvation was undone when I felt any desires of the flesh, that is, any malice or sexual desire or anger or envy against any of my brothers. I tried many methods. I made confession every day, etc. But none of this did any good, because the desires of the flesh kept coming back. Therefore I could not find peace, but I was constantly crucified by thoughts such as these: ‘You have committed this or that sin; you are guilty of envy, im-patience, etc. Therefore it was useless for you to enter this holy order, and all your good works are to no avail.’ If I had properly understood Paul’s statements, ‘The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit,’ and ‘These are opposed to each other,’ I would not have tortured myself to such a point but would have thought to myself, as I do nowadays: ‘Martin, you will never be completely without sin, because you still have the flesh. Therefore you will always be aware of its conflict, according to the statement of Paul: "The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit." Do not despair, therefore, but fight back, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. Then you will not be under the Law.’
　
"I remember that Staupitz used to say: ‘More than a thousand times I have vowed to God that I would improve, but I have never performed what I have vowed. Hereafter I shall not make such vows, because I know perfectly well that I shall not live up to them. Unless God is gracious and merciful to me for the sake of Christ and grants me a blessed final hour when the time comes for me to depart this miserable life, I shall not be able to stand before Him with all my vows and good works.’ This despair is not only truthful but is godly and holy. Whoever wants to be saved must make this confession with his mouth and with his heart" (Lectures on Galatians, Luther’s Works, Volume 27, CPH 1963).

My Top Twenty-Four Eurekas of 2009 (so far)

Thanks to Zach, either directly or indirectly, here are my four-and-twenty favorite "new bands" of 2009 (admittedly, a number of these are hardly anything new to anyone else, but they have been new discoveries for me since the turn of the year; kudos to Pandora Radio):

Black Stone Cherry

Shinedown

Plain White T's

Jet Black Stare

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

The All-American Rejects

Saving Abel

The Fray

Parachute

Stereoside

Fall Out Boy

This Providence

Thriving Ivory

Bowling for Soup

The Script

Meg & Dia

Evans Blue

Breaking Benjamin

Boys Like Girls

Finger Eleven

The Airborne Toxic Event

Theory of a Deadman

Paramore

The Cab

The Three R's of Sin

Pride resolves to sin and refuses to repent.

Despair resigns itself to sin and doesn't repent.

Repentance resists the temptation to sin; and, as often as one falls into sin, repentance returns to God by faith in His mercy and forgiveness.

What Distinguishes Emmaus?

I have recently noted that those who do not attend Emmaus tend to describe and define our congregation on the basis of what they have heard about our liturgical practice and ceremony. Whether regarded positively or negatively, those assessments distinguish Emmaus as "high church," and seem to presume that we deliberately define ourselves in that way, too.

But those who attend Emmaus regularly, and who participate in the rhythm and fellowship of our congregation, tend to describe and define who we are in terms of catechesis and the preaching of the Gospel. That is definitely what I am chiefly and deliberately about as a pastor, and hardly anything makes me happier than hearing people say that what they hear and receive at Emmaus, and what they associate Emmaus with, is the Gospel.

For those who know and understand that the main thing at Emmaus, the primary and foundational thing, is the preaching and catechesis of the Gospel, everything else is recognized and received in that light. Our liturgical practices and our use of ceremonies simply belong to the catechesis and confession of that Gospel. So, too, the hymns we sing, and really everything else that we do on purpose as a congregation, is in the service of the Gospel.

From my pastoral perspective, certainly, that focus on the Gospel is what sets Emmaus apart. But it is significant, and I find it tremendously encouraging, when members and friends of our congregation identify us in that same way. Christ be praised!

Hoping for Change: Not Your Grandfather's Potato Chips

More political insight from the extraordinary adventures of Ordinary Boy, book three: The Great Powers Outage (2008):

"Regular, boring chips contain only potatoes, oil, and salt," the Crimson Creampuff informed the audience. "But the Amazing Indestructo's Amazing Pseudo-Chips contain dozens of ingredients, most of which are unpronounceable!"

"They have an earthy flavor . . . like something that's just been dug from the ground," announced Moleman, as everyone on the stage, including AI [the Amazing Indestructo], turned and glared at him. "I meant that as a compliment," he added meekly.

But the crowd was having none of it. We had spent a lifetime eating Dr. Telomere's potato chips, and anything else seemed like heresy. I couldn't help but smile at the thought that I was witnessing a monumental financial defeat for the Amazing Indestructo. He had finally pushed his luck one chip too far.

He realized it, too. In a panic, he turned to another figure on the stage who I hadn't noticed until now. It was an older man dressed all in red, and AI ushered him up to the microphone.

"And here to speak about yet another of the tremendous benefits of AI's Pseudo-Chips is our official spokesman, Comrade Crunch."

There was something about the intensity of this silver-haired old man that made the crowd go silent. He strode purposefully to the microphone, and his gaze washed over us. For a moment it felt like his eyes had focused on me, and me alone. Instinctively I knew that every person standing here had experienced the same sensation. Then he began to speak.

"Comrades," he began in an aged yet powerful voice. "A new day is upon us. For decades we have been told what we like and what we don't like when it comes to salty, fried snacks. A force beyond our control has guided us down one particular path, telling us that there is only one choice when it comes to something as important as potato chips."

The crowd was hanging on every word. In fact, so was I. His statements sure felt compelling, but what was he really saying? It was difficult, but I forced myself to focus on Comrade Crunch's message rather than on how it was making me feel.

"But now, at long, long last, we have a choice. Open your eyes! That single path has finally reached a fork in the road. Will you continue down the path to the right? A path that has been laid out for you as if you had no mind of your own? Or will you take the path to the left? This is a new path, an exciting path! A path you choose for yourself. Are you ready to try a new kind of potato chip?"

"YES!" the audience erupted in unison.

"Are you ready to take a new path?" Comrade Crunch shouted even louder.

"YES!" the crowd exploded in response, including my dad and Stench. What was happening here? That speech had made no sense!

"Then express your collective will," the old man in red built to a crescendo. "And take that path to the left. Amazing Indestructo Pseudo-Chips were made just . . . for . . . YOU!"

As if they had one mind, the crowd expressed their preference by turning en masse to the left and toward the grocery store. The Mighty Mart was about to sell a whole lot of potato chips, but they weren't going to be Dr. Telomere's.

I came downstairs the next morning to find my mom and dad quarreling. It didn't take a genius to know what the argument was over. It had begun the moment Dad and I returned home from the Mighty Mart the day before.

"What got into your head?" Mom asked yet again as she gestured at the sixty or so canisters of Amazing Indestructo Pseudo-Chips that were stacked on every counter in the kitchen.

Normally, when Mom gets this mad, Dad immediately apologizes — even if he doesn't really think he's done anything wrong. That strategy has kept them together for years. But in the case of the Pseudo-Chips, he just wasn't budging.

"These chips are the future," he insisted. "We've been forced to eat one brand our entire lives, and now we finally have a choice."

"But we've always loved Dr. Telomere's chips," my mom pointed out. "You used to work there! Why do you suddenly think there's something wrong with them?"

"It's not them," my father insisted, "but rather the opportunity to take a new path; to try something different."

He was parroting exactly what Comrade Crunch had said.

"They don't even taste good," my mom said in frustration as she sampled one of the chips.

I grabbed one of our remaining bags of Dr. Telomere's potato chips and headed for the TV room. I turned on the set and plopped onto the couch. . . . I flipped around and finally stopped on a channel running a Sunday morning news show. The banner across the bottom of the screen identified the program as The Great Superopolis Mayoral Debate. The announcer was in the process of explaining the setup.

". . . and with the election now only sixteen days away, we're proud to be hosting the first in a series of debates. On your right is the incumbent candidate, Mayor Whitewash."

The camera turned to a podium where the mayor stood. He was smiling in his usual forced-casual sort of way and waving to the TV audience.

"And since the mayor is once again running unopposed," the announcer continued, "we'll represent his opponent in this debate with the prize-winning pumpkin from the recent Carbunkle County fair. We've even carved a face on it to increase the level of tension between the two debaters."

This was quite possibly the stupidest thing that I'd ever seen on TV, and that was saying a lot. I mean, there was no mystery why Mayor Whitewash was unopposed. . . . [His power was the ability to make people agree with him.]

A general sense of agreement was usually all it took for people to cast their votes for Mayor Whitewash. Of course, to actually force people to go out and vote for him would require a much stronger power — like the one I witnessed from Comrade Crunch yesterday. If the mayor had had that kind of ability, there would have been no need to stage a debate between him and a carved pumpkin (The Great Powers Outage, 24-30).

The Liturgy and Worship of God

The Holiness of God is this: He alone lives and is Life in Himself, from all eternity to all eternity, in a permanent relationship of three Persons in the perfect unity of mutual love.

The Glory of this Holy Triune God is this: For the sake of His own divine love, He willingly moves outside of Himself to create and give life to others, whom He deals with by His grace; He grants them the freedom to live and love, but saves them from their sin and death by His own voluntary Self-sacrifice.

This divine Glory of the one true God is manifested and exercised by His Word and by His actions, in and with and for His creation. Specifically, the Glory of God is manifested and exercised by the Word of Christ, the Word-made-Flesh: by His Incarnation and Atonement, His Cross and Passion, His Resurrection, His Gospel, His Church and Ministry.

This is the Divine Liturgy of the Holy Triune God: the Father's giving of His Son by and with His Holy Spirit, for the purpose and benefit of granting His own divine Life and Light and Love to man, His creature, in the flesh, for both body and soul.

This Divine Liturgy forms and fills the Church of Christ, on earth as it is in heaven. It begins for you in Holy Baptism, which is foundational to the Church and the means by which you enter the Kingdom of God within this Holy Christian Church.

The Divine Liturgy culminates in the Holy Communion. There God gives Himself to you in Christ, the Son, by His Word and actions, His flesh and blood, with His Spirit, for your body and soul. There the Father loves you and gives you life as His own dear child and heir. He forgives your sins and gives you His Life in place of your death, His Light in the midst of your darkness, and His Love in place of your selfishness and lust.

It is in this way that the Lord your God reigns as your King; not upon the throne of a dictator in a royal palace, but from the Cross of His own sacrifice in the midst of His Temple. Here in the Temple of His Church He serves you in love with the Priesthood of His Atonement and the Ministry of His Gospel. So does the train of His robe fill the Temple.

And in the royal priesthood of all the baptized faithful, in His disciples from all nations, in all times and places, His Glory fills the earth.

Corresponding to His Divine Liturgy is the worship of God for which you are created, and to which you are called by His grace.

Such worship is the Christian faith and life. It is your Christian priesthood. It is to receive and share the Life and Love of God, and to live in the Light of His Glory, in and with Christ Jesus, by His Holy Spirit. It is to speak as He speaks, by His Word, and to live with Him as He lives.

It is to prostrate your heart before Him in repentant faith, with fear, love and trust in Him above all else. And it is to prostrate your body and your life before Him, and for your neighbor in love.

This Christian faith and life, this true catholic religion, is manifested and exercised — and it is lived — in the worship of your words and actions; in the worship of your mouth and your body.

It is in what you say with your lips and what you do with your body that you worship the Lord your God by faith, and live in love toward Him and toward your neighbor. For with the heart you believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth you confess unto salvation. And your body also shall be raised unto the life everlasting; therefore, your body also participates in your faith and worship of the one true God, the Holy Trinity.

How can this be?

In your flesh, you have inherited the guilt and mortality of your parents, and to that deadly inheritance you have added sin upon sin from your conception onward, even to the present day.

In your flesh you find nothing but sin and death, the vile stink of a rotting corpse, even in its whitewashed tomb. You are a man or woman or child of unclean lips. You have not spoken as you should. Nor have you lived in and with your body as you should.

How then shall you worship the Holy Triune God with your mouth and with your body? How shall you take the holy body and precious blood of Christ, the Son of God, upon your unclean lips? How shall you eat and drink the Lord Himself, the Holy One, with mouth and lips and tongue that have lied and cursed and gossiped, borne false witness and profaned the Name of God?

How shall you ascend with your heart and mouth and body, with your thoughts, words and actions, unto God in heaven? And how shall you enter His Kingdom?

How shall you come out of the night into the day, out of darkness into light, and out of death into the Life of God? How shall you see Him, and know Him, and live?

Beloved of God, listen: His Word is near you, in your ears and in your mouth, in your heart and in your life; that is, the Word of faith and forgiveness, which is preached to you in the Name of Christ.

You could not ascend to Him, nor enter heaven, but He has come down from heaven to you. He has descended from the bosom of the Father to embrace you to Himself, and to abide with you in love.

He has become flesh, under all the curse and consequence of sin and death and hell, in order to atone for the sins of the world and reconcile all flesh to God. Thus, in His own flesh, with His own blood, He has cleansed your flesh from sin and set your flesh free from death.

As He is lifted up in death upon the Cross, He raises you up from death and the grave unto life with God in both body and soul, now and forever.

He is not simply a teacher sent from God, nor merely a means to some other end, but already in Him, in His Person and His Body of flesh and blood, God Himself has drawn near to you and dwells with you. Not only once-upon-a-time, back then, but here and now, in the earthly things of His Church and Ministry, in His means of grace: He reveals and bestows the heavenly things of God, preached and given and poured out for you.

As He has descended from the Father to you in love, so does He pour out the Holy Spirit upon you in peace; and so do you ascend, in and with Him, into heaven.

It is in and with Him that your worship of God in faith and life, heart and mind, body and soul, words and actions is gladly received in His presence. He delights in this worship, because He delights in you, for the sake of Christ Jesus, the only-begotten and well-beloved incarnate Son.

Behold the burning coal with which He touches your lips from His Altar of sacrifice: the Body of Christ which burns brightly with the Holy Spirit. This He places on your lips and on your tongue, not to condemn you or destroy you, but to cleanse you of all iniquity by the free and full forgiveness of all your sins.

As this touches your lips, His Word opens your mouth to show forth His praise, to glorify His holy Name, and to sing with all the host of heaven, the angels and archangels and all saints:

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, Yahweh Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of His Glory! Oh, come, let us worship Him in peace, because He has shown His mercy to us in Christ.

All glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

It's Pretty Simple, Actually

Committing murder is wrong. It is sinful. It is contrary to the most fundamental natural law, and it is contrary to God's clearly revealed law.

Committing murder in the name of the sanctity of human life is not only sinful and wrong, but hypocritical and counterproductive. Sin and death beget not life, but fruits after their own kind.

It is no less hypocritical when those who defend and advocate the murder of unborn infants now decry the murder of an adult. One murder is given headline news, and the pundits pontificate, while thousands of murders are silently committed every day under the protection of an unjust law that defies the justice of God. There is nothing but the rotten stench of death in any of this.

The murder of an abortionist is no cause for rejoicing on anybody's part. It can only sadden those who recognize the sanctity of human life and the righteousness of God's law. It is no time for finger-pointing to the left or to the right, but only for repentance in each and every heart, and for the fervent cry of unceasing prayer that the Lord would have mercy on us all.

Oh, wretched man! Who shall save us from this body of death?

There is One Man who has murdered, not the killer, but death itself. There is One Man who has been the Infant in the womb and the Man under the judgment of God, for the atonement and the reconciliation of the world. There is One Man who has become the Curse of sin and death, that, by His own voluntary self-sacrifice, the guilty might be forgiven and set free. There is One Man who has risen from death and the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, arising as the Incense of faithful prayer on behalf of us all. For His sake, we are heard. For His sake, the Lord our God is merciful to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.